SALT LAKE CITY — A teenage boy in Salt Lake City was shot by a police officer and seriously injured late Friday night after police said he had threatened others during a psychological episode.
Police were called to 500 S. Navajo St. shortly after 10 p.m., said Salt Lake City Police Sgt. Keith Horrocks.
“In this case it was a juvenile that was having a mental episode, a psychological episode, and had made threats to some folks with a weapon,” Horrocks said.
The exact age of the teenager was not released.
Police did not know the relationship between the boy and the person or people he had threatened, but said they knew each other.
When officers arrived, the teen ran away, Horrocks said. During a short foot pursuit, one officer shot him, according to the sergeant. No details about what prompted the officer to shoot or the boy’s injuries were released.
Police rendered medical aid until an ambulance arrived and took the boy to a hospital in serious condition, Horrocks said.
A weapon had not been found on scene, Horrocks said, but police did not know for sure whether or not the teenager had one at the time of the incident.
The officer who fired the shot was placed on leave as part of the officer-involved critical incident protocol. An outside agency is investigating, Horrocks said.
Police are seeking witnesses and surveillance footage from the area.